Delivery-box.



W. D. MARTIN & D. T. BJORK.

DELIVERY BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAY s. 1916.

1,224,766. Patented May1,1917.

INK Mokms virus can rwuro-uma, WASMINGYON. n c.

4 PAT ion.

DELIVERY-BOX.

Application filed May 5, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, WILLIAM D. MARTIN and DAVID T. BJORK, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in-Delivery- Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

In our prior Patent No. 1,183,095, and granted May 16th, 1916, we have shown and described a delivery box or package receiving receptacle for building walls, such as the outside wall of a kitchen,pantry, or the like, and which box has an outside door opened from the outside of the building when a package or article is to be deposited in said box and an inside door opened from the inside of the building wall by the occupant of the house, for removing the deposited article from said box; the construction of the boxbeing such that the outside door is automatically locked when closed after depositing an article or articles therein from the outside of the building, and said outside door remaining looked as long as the deposited article or package remains in the box.

Among the objects of our present invention is to improve the construction of the box shown in our said prior patent in the several particulars as will hereinafter more fully appear and, further, to make both the outside and inside doors of the hinged or swinging type, and so construct the door frame for the outside door that the hinge members and lock will be concealed from view and be protected from being pried or tampered with by the outside door, when the latter is closed and locked. A further object of our invention is to provide an outside door .frameof such a construction that the outside door in particular will have its outer face substantially flush with the outer surface of the door frame and thereby give a panel effect to said outside door, andfurther provide a door frame which will prevent rain and snow from entering the interior of the box around the edges of the door.

The invention consists further in the matters hereinafter-described and more particu- Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 95,552.

ments, saidbox being shown in its position in a building wall;

v Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 and looking into the box from the inside thereof;

i Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line H of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and r Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical Sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 5. Referring to thedrawings, 10 ihdicates a building wall, such as the outside wall of a kitchen, pantry, or the like, and which wall is provided with a substantially rectangular opening 11 extending transversely there through and in which opening is inserted and secured a delivery box or package re ceiving receptacle of the type hereinbefore referred to and embodying our novel improvements. As illustrated, said box is provided with a hollow casing 12, substantially rectangular in form and which fits within the wall opening 11. Said box casing 12 has a top wall 13, a bottom wall 14:, and side walls 15, 15, all of which are connected together and bear against the associated surfaces of the wall opening 11. Said box casing 12 extends completely through said wall opening 11, and has applied to its outer margin a substantially rectangular door frame or case 16. The latter has an inwardly projecting integral flange 17 surrounding the rectangular opening therein, and which flange extends into said box casing 12, as shown in Fig. 2. V The outer marginal portion of the box casing overlaps said flange 17 and is secured thereto by rivets or other fastening members 18. Said door frame 16 is also provided with a laterally projecting marginal flange 19 completely surrounding the same and extending over the edge of the wall opening 11. As shown, said door frame 16 bears against the outer surface of the building wall 10 and imparts the necessary finish to the delivery box on the outside thereof.

Said door frame 16 is provided with a door 20, Which constitutes the outside door of the delivery box. Said door 20 is hinged or pivotally connected adjacent its upper edge with said door frame, and is swung Patented May 1, 1917. I

tends completely across the inner face of said door and has its ends projecting beyond the side edges thereof. Said door is attached to said rod 21 by substantially U- shaped clamp straps 22, which span the rod and are secured to theinner face of said door. The ends of said hinge rod21 seat in substantially semicircular bearing sockets 23, 23 formed in the side rails of the door frame 16. (See Figs. 5 and 6.) Said sockets 23 openboth laterally and inwardly, and the ends ofthe hinge rod 21 are retained therein by clamp members 2%, 2i, oneextending over each socket to the rear of the hinge rod and being removably secured in such position by a'clamp screw 25. It will benoted that said hinge means is offset inwardly from the inner face of said door. Said outside door 20 is set back a suitable distance in the door frame 16, and said door when closed will have no portion thereof projecting beyond the outer surface of said door frame. In other words, said door 20 when closed will be substantially flush and parallel with the outer face of its door frame, thereby giving to'said door a panel effect and thusadding greatly to the neat appearance of the box from the outside thereof. Furthermore, the hinge rod 21 and its clamps 22, 24, and 25, being located behind the door 20 and its frame, are all concealed from view from the outside of the box and further enhances the neat appearance and panel effect'of the outside door 20. Moreover, with the hinge means of the door 20 concealed from view andlocated behind the door, such parts are protected by the door and prevented from being tampered with and thedoor from being pried open when the door is closed and locked bythe locking means to be hereinafter described.

The-door frame 16 is provided along its upper edge with a depending flange 26, which extends between the side rails of the door frame. Said depending flange 26 is located in front of the door 20 and extends downward over the upper or hinged edge thereof whenthe door is closed. As illustrated, said flange 26 is made integ *al with said door frame and is-flush with the outer surfacethereof. Said flange 26 covering the with an upright flange 27 located behind the door 20 and extending between the side rails of said frame. The side rails of the latter are each provided with aflange 28, 28 projecting into the door opening of said frame and located behind said door 20. As shown in Fig. 3, said side flanges 28, 28 extend upwardly from said bottom flange 27 and terminate short of the hinge rod 21. Said flanges 27, 28 are made integral with each other and with said door frame, and against which the door contacts when closed. Said flanges 27, 2S prevent the door 20 from swinging. into the interior of the box and also prevent water from entering the box around. the bottom and side edges of the door. Moreover, said bottom and side flanges 27, 28 being behind the door and extending over the bottom and side edges thereof, when the door is closed and locked, prevent the door from being pried open and the concealed hinge means and lock member from being tampered with from the outside of the box. Said topflange 26 constitutes one flange, and the fact that the other flanges 27, 28 are integral and continuous form the second flange 011 said door frame.

The locking mechanism for said outside door 20 is constructed as follows. Rigidly secured against the innerface of the door 20 and above, but adjacent, its lower edge is a vertically arranged-lock.casin 29, in which is slidably mounted .a lockingbolt 30, the latter dropping by gravity into its locking position. Locatedin saidbox casing 12 is a depressible pan or false bottom 31 provided at its inner end with'a depending flange 32, (Fig. 2) which seats on the bottom wall of the box and supports said pan above the same. The forward edge of said pan 31 is located adjacent to, but behind, said bottom flange 27, and is normally maintained in a horizontal position by a leaf spring member 33 secured to the under side of said pan and yieldably bearing downward on the bottom 10 wall 1st of saidbox. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, said bottom flange 27 is-provided intermediate its ends with an upwardlyopening slot 34, into and out of which the lower end of said vertically arranged locking bolt 30 is moved in the opening and closing of said door 20. Said flange 27 is further provided on each side of said slot 34: with inwardly projecting lugs 35, 35, against the under side of which the adjacent forward 1% marginal portion of the depressible pan 3]. bears or is norn'ially held by the spring 33. When the box is empty, the depressible pan 31 occupies the horizontal position shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 3, and the lower end of the bolt 30 rests on said pan when the door is closed. In other words, when the box is empty, the pan holds the bolt raised and prevents the same from dropping into its locking position over the upper edge in the box from the outside thereof.

of said flange 27. On the other hand, when an article or package, such as shown by the dotted lines 36 in Fig. 2, is deposited in the box from the outside of the building wall and placed on the pan 31, the weight of such article is sufficient to depress the pan and cause its forward marginal portion to drop below the lower edge of the slot 34, whereupon, when the outer door 20 is allowed to swing into its closed position, said bolt 30 drops over the edge of the slot and locks the door 20 closed. As illustrated, the lower end of said bolt is beveled or inclined upwardly and inwardly, so that said bolt will readily ride or pass over the edge of said flange 27 or the forward edge of the pan 31 when the box is empty. In Fig. 2 the pan is shown in dotted lines in its depressed position. Said bolt is provided at its lower end with a notch forming a shoulder 37, which engages behind said flange27 when the bolt drops into its locking position. The bolt is provided adjacent its upper end and above the lock casing 29 with a transverse stop pin 38, which prevents the bolt from dropping downward out of its lock casing when the door is swung open. The full lines in Fig. 2 show said bolt in its raised or unlocked position, while the dotted lines in said figure show said bolt in its locking position.

Secured to the inner edge of the box casing 12 is a door frame 39 made similar to the outer door frame 16. Said inner door frame 39 is provided with a marginal flange 40, which overlaps the inner surface of the building wall and extends over the inner edge of the wall opening 11. Mounted in said inner door frame is a door 41, which is hinged adjacent its lower edge in said door frame by a hinge rod 42 substantially like the hinge rod 21, and secured to the inner face of said inside door and to its door frame 39 in a manner similar to the out side door 20. In said inside door frame 39 the flange extending over the hinged edge of the inside door and the flanges extending over the upper and side edges of said inside door are exactly like the corresponding ones for the outside door, and have been indicated by corresponding reference characters. In fact, the inside door frame is like the outside one, only the former is inverted so that the inside door 41 may be swung downward and inward in being opened. As will be under stood, said inside door 41 opens into the room of the house and the occupant thereof may remove the article or package depositie d o lock the inside door 41 in its closed position, we provide on the inner face of said .door a lock member 43, the latter being preferably located adjacent the upper edge of said inside door and being rotatable into and out of a keeper 44 provided on the upper rail of the inside door frame 39. (See Fig. 2;) l/Vhen. the article is removed from the box,

the outer door 20 is automatically unlocked and the box ready for subsequent deliveries.

To facilitate opening the outside door 20, the latter is provided on its outer face with a handle member 45. Also, said outside door 20 may be provided on its outer face with a name plate holder 46.

The delivery box herein shown and described is built as a complete unit before being placed in a building wall, and each door 20, 41 is mounted in its frame before the latter is secured to the box casing 12. This is accomplished in the following manner: Be fore the door frame is secured to the box casing 12, the door for such door frame, minus its hinge rod, is applied to the door frame from the outside thereof, by inserting its hinged or pivoted edge through the space between the flange 26 and the ends of the side flanges 28, 28. The door is moved far enough inward so as to have its hinged end clear the marginal flange 17 of the door frame. The clamp straps 22, 22 are secured to the inner face of the door before the same is applied to the door frame. The door is held in position extending through the space between the flange 26 and the ends of the side flanges 28, 28 and with the clamp straps clear of the marginal flange 17. Thereupon the hinge rod may be inserted endwise through the clamp straps until its ends project beyond the side edges of the door. WVhen this operation is complete, the door is withdrawn outward until the ends of the hinge rod seat in the sockets 23, 23, whereupon the clamp plates 24, 24 are applied.

Although we have shown and described herein in detail one preferred form of build ing wall delivery box or receptacle embodying the features of our invention, yet it is to be of course understood that the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention, and we do not wish to be limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts exemplified, except as pointed out in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A door construction of the character described, comprising a door frame having oppositely disposed end and side rails, a door for said door frame, and means for pivotally connecting said door between two other railsof said door frame beingprovided with a flange; arra-ngedto the rear, of said door and extending overithe adjacent edgesthereof when. said door isclosed, and each flange 0n the rails between which the door is pivoted having its end terminating short of said pivot means.

2. A door constructionof the character described, comprising a door frame having oppositely disposed end and side rails, a door for saiddoor frame, and; a rodiextend ing bet-weentwo of the.-oppositelyvdisposed rails of said doorframe, said rod being secured against the rear face of saidsdoor adjacent one of theedges thereofythe rail of said door frame adj acent, said rod; being provided with a flange arranged in front of said door and extending overthe edge thereof adjacent said'rod, when said door is closed, and each of the other rails of said door frame being provided with a flange ar rangedin the rear of said door; and extending overthe adjacent edgesthereof when said door isvclosed, and the flange on each of therails between which-said rod extends having its end terminating short of said rod.

,3. A door construction of the character described, comprising a door frame having oppositely disposed end and side rails, a door for-said frame, a rod extending between two of the oppositely disposed rails of said door frame,v said rod being secured torthe inner faceof said door adjacent one of the edges thereof the: rails between which said door extends being providedwith inwardly opening sockets adapted to receive the ends of said rod, and clamp members secured to said frame and, extending over said sockets; therail of said door frame adj acent saidrod being provided with aiflange arranged in front of said door and extending over the edge thereof adjacent said rod: when said door is closed, and each of the othervrails of said door frame being provided with a flange arranged to-the rear of said door and extending over the adjacent edges thereof when saiddoor isv closed, and each flange on-the-rails-between which said rod extends having its end terminating short of said rod.

4. A door construction fora delivery box of the character described, comprising a door frame having oppositely disposediend and siderails, a door for said door frame, a rod extending between twoof the oppositely disposed rails of said door frame, said rod being secured to the inner face of said door adjacent one of the edges thereof, the rails=betweenwhich said rodextends being provided with sockets adapted to receive'the ends of saidrod, clampmembers securedto said frame over said sockets, the rail of said door frame adjacent said rod being provided with a flange arranged in front of said door and extending over theedge thereof adjacent said rod when saiddoor is closed, and eachof theother rails of said door frame being provided with a flange arranged to-therear of said door and. extending over the adjacent'edges thereof when said door is: closed, each flange on the rails bet-ween which said rodextends having its end terminating short of said rod, and a locking member mounted on said door adjacent a. the edge thereof opposite said rod.

5. A door, construction fora delivery box of the character described, comprising a door frame having top, bottom, and side rails, a door for said door frame, a rod extendingbetween the side rails of said door frame and having pivoted connection therewith,said rod being secured to the inner faceof said door adjacentithe upper edge thereof, the'top rail, of said door frame being provided with a flange arranged in front of? saiddoor and extending over the upper edge thereof when said door is closed; the side and bottom rails of said door frame each'being provided with a flange arranged to theirearsof said door and extending over the adjacent edges thereof when said door is closed, and a'locking bolt slidably mounted onthe inner face of said door adjacent the lower edge thereof and adapted to engage behind the bottom flange of saiddoor frame.

6. A delivery box of the character described, having a depressible pant-herein, an outer door hinged adjacent its upper edge to said box, a flange projecting above the bottom wall'of said box to-the rear of said door,,a locking member movably mounted on the innerface of said door and adapted tovmove into locking engagement with said flange, said pan having a part extending.

beneath said bolt and serving to hold the same out of looking engagement with said flange when the box isempty and said door closed.

7 A delivery box of the character describechhaving ,a depressible pan therein, an outer door hinged adjacent its upper edge to said box, a flange projecting above the bottom-wall of said box to the rear of said door, a locking bolt slidablymounted on the inner face of said door and adapted to drop by gravity into locking engagement with said flange, said pan having a part extending beneathsaid bolt and serving to hold the same out ofvlockingl engagement with said flange when the box is empty and said door closed.

8. A delivery box of the character described, having a depressible pan therein, an outer door hinged adjacent its upper edge to said box, a flange projecting above the bottom wall of said box to the rear of said door, a locking bolt slidably mounted on the inner face of said door and adapted to drop by gravity into locking engagementwith said flange, said bolt having a part adapted to engage behind said flange when said bolt is in its locking position, said pan having a part extending beneath said bolt and serving to hold the same out of locking engagement with said flange when the box is empty and said door is closed.

9. A delivery box of the character described, having a depressible pan therein,

an outer door hinged adjacent its upper edge to said box, a flange projecting above the bottom Wall of said box to the rear of said door, said flange being provided between its ends with a slot, lugs extending inwardly from said flange on each side of said slot, a locking bolt slidably mounted on the inner face of said door and adapted to drop by gravity over the bottom edge of said slot, said pan having a part beneath said lugs and holding said bolt out of locking engagement with said flange when said box is empty and said door is closed.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention, We affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses, this 29th day of April, A. D. 1916.

WILLIAM D. MARTIN. DAVID T. BJORK.

Witnesses:

EUGENE C. WANN, CLARA L. PEOPLES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

